220 - Accomplishment of assistance to the king

Pushkara said:

1-7. A foremost king thus crowned along with his ministersshould conquer the enemies. A brahmin or a kshatriyashould be appointed by the king as the commander-in-chief. Heshould also be a descendant of a noble family and well-versed in ethics. The door-keeper (should be) learned in ethics. The emissaryshould be speaking sweet, strong and a matchless warrior. The betel-bearer (may be) a man or a woman devoted (to the king), capable of enduring fatigue and be affectionate. One who is proficient in the six expedients of royal policy¹should be made the minister of foreign affairs. A guardshould bear the sword. A charioteershould know the strength of (the hostile) army, The chief cook (should be) a beneficiary, learned and one living in the (royal) kitchen. The courtiersshould be well-versed in righteousness. The (royal) scribeshould be well versed in (the art of) writing. The door-keepersshould know the appropriate time of call and bebeneficial. The treasurershould be a man well-acquainted with the gems and be beneficial in thc acquisition of wealth. The royal physicianshould know the science of medicine. The superintendent of elephantsshould know (the science of) elephants. The rider of an elephantshould be one who has conquered fatigue. The superintendent of horsesshould know equinology. The superintendents of fortsshould be beneficient and wise. The architectsshould be well-versed in the nature of the grounds. 

1. Alliance, war, march, halt, seekingshelter and duplicity. 

8. Persons (employed) to give instructions in (the use of) weapons,should be well-versed in the use of weapons projected by the machines or discharged by the hands or not discharged entirely or discharged and held back and fight with hands. Heshould be beneficial to the king. 

9. The officer in the haremshould be old, fifty years old if women and seventy years old if men. Theyshould be engaged in all types of work. 

10-15. (The man) in (charge) of the arsenalshould be wakeful. A person is employed in a task after knowing (his ability). A kingshould employ foremost, medium and ordinary people after knowing the tasks as excellent, medium and ordinary. A king desirous of victoryshould bring beneficial accomplices. Righteous men (should be engaged) in righteous acts, valorous men in tasks like battle, clever men in acts yielding material gains and men of good conduct in all acts. Eunuchsshould be employed in (matters relating to) women and cruel (hearted men) in cruel deeds. Whomsoever the king knows to be of good conduct, that personshould be employed (by the kings) in the acts of piety, acquisition of wealth and pleasure. Vile people (should be employed) in bad acts. The kingshould employ in appropriate task those people whose fidelity has been tested. The ministershould engage properly men of the same kind to find the evil doers just as an elephant (is employed to control) the wild ones. 

16-24. Expertsshould be employed in their own fields of specialization. The servants who have been serving since the time of the grandfather and father (of the king)should be engaged to do all tasks except in matters which are to be done by the heirs. In those acts, only those who have come (in that lineshould be employed). Men who have come from other kings (and) desiring protegeshould be given protection (irrespective of the fact) whether they are bad or good. If one is known to be bad, (the king)should not trust him and keep his livelihood under his control. Men who have come from a different countryshould be watched by (engaging) spies and then honoured (if they are found to be good). The enemies, fire, poison, serpent and the sword on one side and the trustworthy, distinguished servants (on the other side)should be known (as equal). So also the wicked servants on one side (equal the loyal servants) (?) 

The kingshould have the spies as the eyes. Heshould always employ the spies. The spiesshould not be known to the people. Theyshould be good and not known to each other. (Heshould employ the spies) in the guise of tradesmen, diplomats, astrologers, physicians and as ascetics knowing the strength and weakness (of the people). The kingshould not trust (the words of) a single person. Heshould believe the words of many. The kingshould make use of the likes, displeasures, merits and demerits of his servants and people, as well as the good and bad (deeds done by them) in order to control them. Heshould do only such acts which would attract them and desist from acts causing displeasure. The king would be adorned by the fortune of the pleasure of the people because of pleasing the people.